Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries
UNICEF: All Unicef Countries: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 264.25 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
264.25 million
Change on year
down 0.0%
Rank
7th
of 203 groups
All-time high
335.84 million
in 1991
All-time low
260.74 million
in 2018
Years of data
34
1991–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries, 1991–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries is 264.25 million, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries peaked at 335.84 million in 1991 and was at its lowest, 260.74 million, in 2018.
UNICEF: All Unicef Countries ranks 7th of 203 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 335.84 million | — |
| 1992 | 331.59 million | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 327.05 million | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 324.04 million | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 321.11 million | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 318.54 million | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 297.83 million | -6.5% |
| 1998 | 275.84 million | -7.4% |
| 1999 | 273.74 million | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 273.64 million | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 275.20 million | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 273.95 million | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 269.36 million | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 268.91 million | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 271.47 million | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 280.91 million | +3.5% |
| 2007 | 278.31 million | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 276.77 million | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 275.59 million | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 272.49 million | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 270.75 million | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 271.00 million | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 269.00 million | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 268.26 million | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 263.07 million | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 261.31 million | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 262.17 million | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 260.74 million | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 265.75 million | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 265.56 million | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 265.72 million | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 264.38 million | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 264.29 million | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 264.25 million | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 311.73 million | 273.74 million | 335.84 million | 9 |
| 2000s | 274.41 million | 268.91 million | 280.91 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 266.45 million | 260.74 million | 272.49 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 264.84 million | 264.25 million | 265.72 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: All Unicef Countries
More education data for UNICEF: All Unicef Countries
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 569.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.8422 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 274.67 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 29.12 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.6486 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 345.07 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 294.84 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries was 264.25 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 335.84 million in 1991.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 260.74 million in 2018.
- How does UNICEF: All Unicef Countries rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- UNICEF: All Unicef Countries ranks 7th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in UNICEF: All Unicef Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this UNICEF: All Unicef Countries data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release